Cutting tool or the like, such as a pair of secateurs comprising two pivoting active members

ABSTRACT

The rear portion of each active member has a cross-section of height greater than its width. The corresponding intermediate element is made by being overmolded around the rear portion. The rear portion and the corresponding intermediate element are pierced by at least two through holes for passing respective fasteners such as screws for fixing the corresponding tubular handle in place.

[0001] The present invention relates to a cutting tool or the like suchas a pair of pruning shears or “secateurs” comprising two active memberssuch as a blade and an anvil pivotally mounted about a common transverseaxis.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Numerous cutting tools or the like of the above-specified typeare known, and many such tools have two tubular handles enablingactuator grips to be disposed at a distance from the common transverseaxis so as to increase the cutting or clamping force of the tool bymeans of the lever arm effect.

[0003] In particular, a cutting tool or the like of the above-specifiedtype is known in which the rear portion of each active member, i.e.blade or anvil, is surrounded by an intermediate element on which atubular handle is engaged, means being provided for fixing each tubularhandle to the rear portion of the corresponding active element.

[0004] In that known tool, the intermediate element is in two portionsseparated by a longitudinal plane and it is inserted inside the tubularhandle, with the rear portion of the corresponding active member beinginserted therein by force, said rear portion being substantially conicalin shape so as to force the two portions of the intermediate elementagainst the inside walls of the tubular handle.

[0005] In that embodiment, which gives entire satisfaction, it isnecessary to apply considerable force in order to assemble the tool orto disassemble it in order to replace each active member, i.e. blade oranvil for a pair of secateurs.

OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The object of the present invention is to propose a cutting toolor the like of the above-specified type enabling the handle to bemounted and removed easily on the corresponding active member withoutreducing the reliability of the connection between the handle and thesaid active member.

[0007] The object of the invention is also to lighten the head of thecutting tool or the like beside the active members, by eliminating thetwo-part active elements.

[0008] In accordance with the present invention, in the cutting tool orthe like of the above-specified type, the rear portion of each activemember has a cross-section of height greater than its width, thecorresponding intermediate element is made by being overmolded aroundsaid rear portion, and said rear portion and said correspondingintermediate element are pierced by at least two through holes, each forpassing a fastener such as a screw for fixing the corresponding tubularhandle in place.

[0009] Contrary to the teaching of the prior art as recalled above whichrecommends mounting the intermediate element at a force-fit inside thetubular handle, the present invention uses the fact that by making theintermediate element as an overmolding around the rear portion of eachactive element while leaving room for at least two through holes to passrespective fasteners such as screws, it is possible to obtain dimensionsfor the intermediate element that are sufficiently precise and regularto guarantee sufficient clearance to enable the tubular handle to beengaged on the intermediate element, while ensuring that said clearanceis not excessive, which would become troublesome and harmful while thetool is in use.

[0010] The tubular handle can then be fixed on the intermediate elementby at least two fasteners such as screws passing through the tubularhandle and the intermediate element.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each intermediateelement has, on one side of the corresponding rear portion, respectivecavities around each through hole for receiving respective nuts adaptedto co-operate with corresponding screws.

[0012] The nuts are thus locked in said cavities when the tubular handleis engaged on the intermediate element and no longer constituteobstacles on the outside of the tubular handle.

[0013] It is thus preferable to use screws of length selected to avoidextending beyond the nuts when screwed therein. The tubular handle canthus be pierced by a single hole for passing each screw, the handlebeing effectively clamped against the intermediate element by tighteningthe screw, thereby eliminating all slack in transmitting forces betweenthe tubular handle and the corresponding intermediate element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Other features and advantages appear from the following detaileddescription.

[0015] In the accompanying drawings, given purely as non-limitingexamples:

[0016]FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic exploded perspective view of anembodiment of a cutting tool or the like in accordance with the presentinvention; and

[0017]FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of one of the activemembers of the FIG. 1 tool.

MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] In the embodiment shown in the figures, the cutting tool 1 is apair of secateurs 1 comprising two active members, specifically a blade2 and an anvil 3 which are pivotally mounted about a common transverseaxis 4.

[0019] The rear portion 5 of each active member 2, 3 is surrounded by anintermediate element 6 onto which a tubular handle 7 is engaged, meansbeing provided for fixing each tubular handle 7 to the rear portion 5 ofthe corresponding active member 2, 3.

[0020] In the present invention, the rear portion 5 of each activemember 2, 3 has a cross-section of height H which is greater than itswidth L. The corresponding intermediate element 6 is made by overmoldingplastics material around said rear portion 5. The rear portion 5 and thecorresponding intermediate element 6 are pierced by at least two throughholes 8, each provided for allowing a fastener 9 such as a screw or arivet to pass therethrough in order to fix the corresponding tubularhandle 7 in place.

[0021] In the embodiment shown in the figures, each intermediate element6 has a cavity 10 of hexagonal outline around each through hole 8 andboth on the same side of the corresponding rear portion 5, thus enablinga nut 11 to be housed and retained so as to co-operate with acorresponding screw 9.

[0022] The tool 1 further comprises means for fixing the intermediateelement 6 to the corresponding rear portion 5.

[0023] In this example, the rear portion 5 has at least one through hole12 that remains full of plastics material on unmolding.

[0024] The plastics material used for making each intermediate element 6by overmolding is a conventional plastics material suitable for such anoperation.

[0025] In particular, this plastics material is selected in such amanner as to make it possible by overmolding to obtain an intermediateelement 6 of dimensions that are precise and regular, stable andreliable, so that sufficient clearance is obtained between theintermediate element 6 and the corresponding tubular handle 7 to enablethe tubular handle 7 to be engaged easily on the intermediate element 6without that clearance being excessive so as to impede use of the tool1.

[0026] In the example shown in FIG. 2, the blade 2 is made from a steelsheet by forming in a press and by grinding its cutting edge 13.

[0027] The rear portion 5 of the blade 2 is rectangular in cross-sectionwhich is entirely suitable for ensuring that the intermediate element 6overmolded on said rear portion is held effectively in place.Nevertheless, this rear portion 5 could have any other appropriateshape.

[0028] The rear portion of the anvil 3 is preferably identical to thatof the blade 2, although this is not essential.

[0029] In conventional manner, each tubular handle 7 is a metal tube,e.g. an aluminum tube, of inside shape that matches the outside shape ofthe intermediate element 6, and is advantageously round in section.

[0030] For each screw 12, each handle 7 is pierced by a singlecorresponding hole 14 through which the screw 12 is inserted and doesnot come out through the other side of the handle 7.

[0031] To make a cutting tool of the present invention, the two activemembers are made first, e.g. the blade 2 and the anvil 3, each having inits rear portion at least two holes 8 suitable for receiving arespective screw 9 and at least one auxiliary hole 12 suitable forreceiving plastics material during overmolding.

[0032] For overmolding purposes, each rear portion 5 has a core (notshown) placed thereon so as to leave a cavity 10 suitable for receivinga nut 11 and the corresponding hole 8 through the plastics material ofthe intermediate element 6.

[0033] The plastics material is then overmolded so as to form theintermediate element 6. The above-mentioned cores are removed and a nut11 is inserted into each cavity 10. Thereafter a tubular handle 7 isengaged on the intermediate element 6 and a screw 12 is inserted througheach hole 14 of the handle 7 so as to clamp the handle 7 against theintermediate element 6 by tightening the screw 9 in the nut 11.

[0034] In the event of the blade 2 or the anvil 3 becoming worn, thescrews 12 are undone, the worn blade 2 or anvil 3 is removed, and a newblade 2 or anvil 3 is put into place provided with its own overmoldedintermediate element 6, after inserting the nuts 11 into thecorresponding cavities 10, and then the tubular handle 7 is engaged andthe screws 12 are put into place.

[0035] Naturally, the present invention is not limited to theembodiments described above, and numerous changes and modifications canbe made thereto without going beyond the ambit of the invention.

1/ A cutting tool comprising two active members pivotally mounted abouta common transverse axis, the rear portion of each active member beingsurrounded by an intermediate element on which a tubular handle isengaged, and means being provided to fix each tubular handle to the rearportion of the corresponding active member, wherein the rear portion ofeach active member has a cross-section of height greater than its width,wherein the corresponding intermediate element is made by beingovermolded around said rear portion, and wherein said rear portion andsaid corresponding intermediate element are pierced by at least twothrough holes, each for passing a fastener such as a screw for fixingthe corresponding tubular handle in place. 2/ A tool according to claim1, wherein each intermediate element has, on one side of thecorresponding rear portion, respective cavities around each through holefor receiving respective nuts adapted to co-operate with correspondingscrews. 3/ A tool according to claim 1, including means for fixing theintermediate element to the corresponding rear portion. 4/ A toolaccording to claim 3, wherein the rear portion has at least oneauxiliary through hole adapted to be filled with plastics materialduring overmolding. 5/ A tool according to claim 1, wherein the plasticsmaterial used for making the intermediate element by overmolding isselected in such a manner as to obtain an intermediate element havingdimensions that are precise and regular. 6/ A tool according to claim 1,said tool being a pair of secateurs comprising as active members a bladeand an anvil.